Wednesday, August 31, 2011

So the painting has begun! After a small hiatus, a client piece AND my booth needed some major painting attention......so I finally finished that dresser nightstand duo. Whew! They were pretty but I gotta tell you....basic white just isn't my thang. I was a little bored on this project. I'm ready for some COLOR. Some heavy distress where the paint is barely hangin' on....you got the picture, huh?

But here she is all her whiteness..... no time to stage. Loading her up soon.......

Saturday, August 27, 2011

I was uber thrilled when the Sixty Feet tees arrived in the mail. One, because I know I'll be mailing one off to my giveaway winner (don't you love receiving fun mail?) and two, because I know it represents so much more than just a shirt......

It represents my bad days. Like today, when I'm consumed in thought with what it was like being there. Feeling their eyes on me. Crawling on my lap. I remember the little girl, maybe 4, putting the extra two cookies we were giving out into her shabby little dress pocket for later....because she knew she would not be getting anymore anytime soon. I remember a boy, drooling excessively onto his dirty shirt because of his lame body.....and seeing his disfigured body struggle to turn his shirt backwards when it got too wet. I watched at M1 (the first of the children's prison we visited) boys stir a huge cauldron of beans for their dinner....knowing it would be beans the next day...and the next...and the next.....and they were, as one boy told me, "so thankful to know they had food each day."

It represents my good days. When I remember Emmanuel, just a boy of 14, who was so interested in what it was like in America. But not in the ways you think....he wasn't interested in our "stuff". He wanted to know what my daughters were like. Did they go to school? Were they kind to each other? Did my husband like sports? The innocence that shines through their hard lives. I remember when we were leaving, driving the long drive to the airport....I had my face out the window trying to capture that last glimpse of raw beauty in the people's faces.

It represents a changed heart. But a struggling one. I'll be honest and say that today was not a good day. I think I was in a bit of depression. I'm not sure if anyone understands, but maybe the girls that went with me.....I struggle in my downtimes. When I'm busy, I'm too busy to think about those experiences. But when it slows......it hits. And I question. I question why He showed it to me......and stupid things like.... Will I ever quit thinking about "Africa" when I buy things for myself? It's the biggest. guilt. trip. ever. .....and the worst.....what if I forget. Or let it go....or lose interest.....

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

...painting very much. Ugh! Maybe it's school starting, maybe it's the heat....whichever....but I need to get back on the paintwagon because my hubs has started outdoing me! He made wooden benches over the summer for a friend/client and WOWza! Didn't they turn out great?? (thanks, Donna, for the picture!)

Meanwhile, I've got to get busy painting a client's bedroom set that is my first 100% profit donation to Sixty Feet(yea!). I also just sold a dresser that benefits it, as well....these things literally make this side job 110% worth the effort.

Speaking of effort......I've had this dresser on the backburner for ages now. I need to paint it white ......

.....so that it can match its sister nightstand below. It will be a fabulous duo (once I get at it).

Monday, August 22, 2011

Here she was this morning....super excited about 2nd grade and about a foot taller.

She didn't even need me to walk her to class (she carried all her supplies herself).
And this afternoon, she finished her entire week's worth of homework 'just for the fun of it'.
Oh my.....how they grow.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

There just aren't words to express how fast this summer has flown. Sophie mastered jumping into the pool by herself. Grace mastered driving a golf cart all by herself (with momma driving right behind!). Boog & I survived another summer together........even enjoyed it a bit. ; )

Life is truly but a vapor. As I was driving (alone) in my car the other day, I was challenging myself with that verse. And it was brought up again during our Sunday School class. Life is but a vapor. It's fleeting. It feels so all-encompassing-important "I've got to go school shopping" "I've got to clean my house" but in the big scope of things, not one single person will remember my name in two or three generations. I'll be long gone. Long forgotten. I, and my list of to-do's, are not as important as I think.

Fun, stuff, huh? (and you thought this was a breezy "summer's over" post!) The only breezy this post has is the breeze I will feel if life passes by without me relishing this time with my little girls and the husband of my youth - all while chasing what the Lord has for us to do with clearness and singleness of heart ( I read that on a blog and thought it was great....)

Saturday, August 20, 2011

This is the video I made for our church to see as we presented our Uganda, Africa trip. I still am moved to tears everytime it plays. And it's funny.....well, God totally did this.....the lyrics to the song totally match up to some of the pictures.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

I gotta say....the world wide web is a thing of beauty. In less than 24 hours of blogging about the announcement of my furniture refurbishing profits going directly to the Sixty Feet ministry,
one reader, told the wife of the CEO of Sixty Feet about this lil' ol blog and she emailed me with her thanks. She has a blog (www.goodtobecrazy.com) and all I can say is - HUMBLED! This small blog is truly, truly humbled.

So. I can't just sit on my toes and wait for that first "sale" to donate profits. I gotta do something, right? So here it is.

Visit Sixty Feet's t-shirt pageand then come back & comment to let me know which one you would want and what size. That's your entry into the drawing! I'm ordering a few for my bunch tomorrow.....so your order will be included!!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Tonight the "Uganda girls" presented our testimonies about Africa to the church. Some of us spoke about one kid that touched our life, one organization or school that made us weep, the power of the worship in Uganda, the joy amidst such poverty.......it was amazing.

However. Through the many ministries we visited (Sixty Feet, Amazima, Canaan's Childrens Home, Return Ministries)......Rebekah's, whom we met at My Father's House ministry, blog over the darkness that inhabits her world left me stunned. Shattered.

Read about that here. But be ready. It will shatter your image of our safe, glossy, "dress up pretty for Sunday" Christ and give you one that is The. Almighty. Power. The Light in the Darkness. The One who can stand the lies no longer.....and will one day return with All His Passion to gather those who believe and discard those who lukewarmed their way through life.

And with that, my announcement is that from here on out.....every dime....not 10%, but every dime....of my furniture sales will go towards Sixty Feet Ministry. This ministry helps give hope to the hopeless in the Children's Prisons of Uganda...in the form of plumbing, liquid soap to mop their urine stained floors, mosquito nets to ward off malaria...anything and everything.

Why? Because of this......

Proverbs 24:12
"...Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know. God, who weighs our heart and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act."

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Ok. I admit. I got the glorious iphone for Africa, so that I wouldn't have to pack my huge (albeit really nice) Rebel camera. Now...my Rebel has gone unused and well...my blog pics have suffered.

Not that the iphone isn't great - it is. Convenient. The touch screen is smooth like butter....there's so many things to swoon about. But picture quality? Not so great when you need to upload to a blog. Great when you are viewing in the tiny screen.......

HENCE all that to say - I've become iphone lazy. I simply don't take my Rebel anywhere! And on great occasions like this.....my girls getting their 'school cuts'.....I really should know better.

As cute as they are (and their new do), the picture quality just isn't the same. I shoulda known.

Friday, August 12, 2011

I'm thinkin "Goin' with the Flo" needs to have a sale! My booth is the fullest it's been in a while....sure school's starting so everyone's thinking "new school clothes", not "let's purchase that big piece of furniture I've been wanting". : )

Full is good though. With my own self starting back to work in t-minus 3 days and counting, I'm satisfied knowing that I don't have to worry about an empty space. Here's a few pics of the fullness.......

Thursday, August 11, 2011

As a certified "booth owner" for more than six months now (ha!)....I've learned a few things. One of them happens to be the importance of the 'littles'. I know I've said this before, but when the big items like furniture take a while to sell, it's imperative that my booth be filled with enough 'little' items to make me 1) be able to pay rent and 2) keep being encouraged with sales. Those littles also draw interest to your booth......they make people wander in, which often times, results in buying.

I scout for 'littles' everywhere I go. I'm drawn to anything metal that could be used for displays....anything with texture....real wood.....unusual items of interest. Things you can't find just anywhere. And I usually never leave them alone.....I almost always do a little drybrush of white, or paint the metal a fun color....something to make it pop.

Drybrushing White on this Antique Mirror

There are definite times when I wonder about if I should have done that or not, but when they are up and displayed, I usually am always glad I did. Just something different.....

The 'littles' with some white & green. Ready to be tagged & delivered!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Her name was Claire. We all recognized immediately that this child was striking. Vogue. InStyle. Glamour....all the covers of a magazine would she grace if she were in the states. But her beauty was beyond that business.

(photos courtesy of Lori Seay Thornton, my trip member)

She latched on immediately to Lori, one of the women in our group. Their bond was inseparable for the week.....a daughter needing a mother's touch, once again. That was beautiful.

I was reading articles this morning about the scope of the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. The drought there is worse than it's been in 60 years. 30,000 children under the age of 5 have died from malnutrition just in the last few months. Somalia was just one country away from where we were.....some of the pictures were wayyy too "real" for me. I had to quit looking.

The biggest question on my mind is "Where would God have me to begin?"

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Maria came to Canaan Children's Home in March of this year. Her mother and father both died from HIV. She was left with her step mother, who mistreated her and made her a slave, usually on an empty stomach. Sometimes neighbors gave her food to eat, for they knew her work was hard. She came to live at Canaan's after they were notified about her mistreatment.

I noticed her around Day 2. She was always with a little friend, who took most of the spotlight. Maria spoke a little English and one time told me to "sit properly" in my skirt (ha!)....my undies must have been showing! I didn't think much about our interactions until the next day. She was right beside me - again. And the next, and the next, and the next......until it was clear that she was waiting for me. She would take my hand, wrap her arms around my waist, and really.....want to do nothing but sit next to me on the concrete....smiling at me trying to "make conversation".

I'm trying not to just outright bawl here as I type. We stayed at Canaan's the last part of our trip. I was emotionally overwhelmed already from being at the "M's" (the children's prisons) and honestly wondered whether or not I had anything left to give emotionally......but day after day....Maria won my heart. She had such a servant's heart.....not servant like slave, but servant like Jesus. When we would sit down, she would take her hand and wipe the dust from where I would be sitting.....so I wouldn't get dirty. When I was wringing out my pants (not doing a great job since I've so rarely washed my own clothes), she came over and showed me the way to do it....wringing with all her might. She showed me a thing or two. And her hands.....they would always be stroking my arm, my hair.....she just wanted to show me love.

The night before we were leaving, Maria's eyes spoke volumes. She never said a word. I just knew. We sat down on the concrete steps.....she laid her head on my shoulder...and slowly, I felt her tears slide down my arm. Big tears. No sounds, just tears. My own eyes gushed. I instantly had the image of John leaning his head on Jesus. I instantly knew what it meant in the Bible when the Holy Spirit said, "Jesus wept". Wept.

My heart is still with Maria. I think of her often. I think of her dusting off my area to sit. I think of her stroking my arms. I think of her tears.

I am now her mother - sponsorshipwise and in my heart. We can all make room to mother another, can't we?

I am asking for your prayers. Please pray about being a sponsor to a child. I've seen what our money does.......if you can't give, then pray. If you pray, then pray about going. Once you go, you'll never be the same. I promise.

Friday, August 5, 2011

After being gone for two weeks, my booth at Winnie's is a little slim in the "littles" department.....so today, much to the shigrin of my mopey "Africa, Africa" self.....I got busy during my little one's naptime and painted, recovered, stapled, and tagged several "little" items......here's just a sampling.

I wish I had "before" pics....

I recovered the chair seat and tray with some great fabric!

I painted some metal items....love metal anything!There's several more "littles" but I'm off to watch a movie with my hubs.I'm not painting any "bigs" in this 110 degree weather we're havin' here.....

Thursday, August 4, 2011

This is going to be hard! It's my first day back in the states, and though I was over the moon excited to see my family, it is tough adjusting to "Texas in America". (That's an inside joke....everytime we introduced ourselves in Africa we said where we were from like that.) I woke up this morning and I knew when I was moping over the fact that I had cold milk in the fridge....well, even a fridge at all....I knew the day would be hard.

I'm not sure how to proceed. I know I need to get busy painting furniture and spending these last precious days of summer with my girls.....but I also know that God's placed a huge burden on my heart to help the helpless. I'm spinning trying to figure out what that looks like in my life.....

So to keep a smile on my face, I've been playing this video.....taped at My Father's House school in Kampala, Uganda. These kids really know how to put the spirit in the Spirit! My heart is full....

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

This has been the most spiritually and emotionally challenging two weeks of my life. Processing it all will take a while...... Returning back to "life" without extreme feelings of guilt over my hot water, washing machines, toilets, clean water, fluffy beds, and plumbing will be difficult.

Children waiting to eat their morning porridge out of a big bucket......

In the beginning of the trip, I had many judgmental thoughts. "There's all these people just sitting..... Why can't they clean up their streets?" or "Why can't the government do something about its own poverty?". Yes. I thought these things.

But until I saw the eyes and held the hands of tiny, innocent children who have gone to bed with empty stomaches too many times to count .... sinful judgement proved me a fool. I have not gone to bed hungry. I have never been made a slave by my stepmom. Nor beaten, raped, or allowed to live like a dog, foraging for food in a dump.

I am ashamed.

It could be easy to forget. I can enter back in and re-start the consumerism. Except now..... I have Walter, Manuel, Isaac and Maria ..... My sons and daughters in Christ..... To help me remember. I can't wait to tell you about each if them.....